


Hands and Feet

by thecat_13145



Series: Brothers and Sisters [1]
Category: Numb3rs
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Foster Care, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-31
Updated: 2013-01-31
Packaged: 2017-11-27 17:19:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/664490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecat_13145/pseuds/thecat_13145
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What really happened at the Dogder's game</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hands and Feet

“So,” Ian said, taking a huge bit out of his hotdog, smearing ketchup and mustard all over his mouth. “Betancourt?”  
  
Nikki shrugged. “Foster family. They adopted me when I was 8.”  
  
She glanced back at him. “Edgerton?”  
  
Ian shrugged. “Army needed a surname.” He glances at her, suddenly uncertain.  
  
“These Betancourts? They good people?”  
  
Nicki nodded. “Yeah. Didn’t have much, but gave me everything they had, you know?”  
  
She shifted, wondering what Liz would say if she told her the truth about this.  
  
“What about you?”  
  
Ian shrugged. “After...Them, group homes for another year. Joined the army, joined the bureau.” He glances at her if to say that’s it, and she realises that no matter how tough she seems to the world, Ian still sees her as three years old, wearing a smocked frock and her hair in plaits sitting on the steps in her patent leather shoes, waiting to be presented to another family. She’s being around the block enough to read between the lines in that story, but she can tell if she pushes it, Ian won’t answer her.  
  
“Well, it takes more than a badass attitude to get an invitation to Quantico.”  
  
Ian winced, at his own words quoted back at him.  
  
“Fine, got a degree as well at some point.” He glanced at her, dark eyes glaring and she could see the seventeen year old with a black eye and spilt lip, but still mouthing off at their foster father. “Psychology.”  
  
Nikki couldn’t help it, she snorted. “Thought you always said it was a load of bull.”  
  
“How’d ya think I got a degree?” His tone told her that was all he was going to say about it and she wonders if he went there looking for answers. She wonders if anyone in the bureau knows about his past. Somehow she doubts it.  
  
Ian still had that trick she remembered from the home of being invisible until he wants someone to see him, and then vanishing when he’s done. Nikki thrusts herself forward, determined never to be that invisible again.  
  
She reached over squeezing his hand. “You still in touch with anyone from back then?”

Ian looked down at her hand in surprise, which was probably why she got a truthful answer. “Run into Max from time to time.” That didn’t surprise her. Max Enhairt and Ian, after their first knock down fight had being friends, or as near as either of them ever came to friends.

“Right side of the law I hope,” She said remembering Max’s temper. Ian laughed, avoiding the question. “And Julia wrote to me while I was overseas.”

Again, No surprises there. Julia had sent her a card for her graduation, even though it had being nearly 14 years since they last saw each other, staring across a hospital bed as the social services took them away. But Julia was a mother by instinct.

“What about you?”

She shook her head. “I didn’t know where any of you were.”

And she didn’t look. Too busy becoming Nikki Betancourt, leaving small, shy, abandoned Nikki Jones behind. Ian had to know that, he made his living reading peoples motives, tracking them down, but he didn’t call her on it. Instead, he squeezed her hand back.

“Well, now you do.” He glanced at her under his eyelashes. “Wanna stay in touch?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Maybe.”

She didn’t think there was anything more she could say, so she just sat holding his hand and eating Hotdogs and ice cream, and trying to convince herself that he saw her as something more than a foster sister.


End file.
